Former Labour MP says 'inappropriate laddish behaviour came from the other side' during her time

A former Labour MP has said when she was in Parliament most inappropriate behaviour "came from the other side" and more should be done to protect the staff of MPs.

Several MPs have been accused of sexual harrassment in what has been dubbed the Westminster scandal, after a dossier of alleged incidents were released and others spoke out.

Former Labour MP Gisela Stuart told Sam Delaney: "If the House of Commons and political parties face up to that responsibility then they will look at the way MPs employ their staff.

She said "in the 20 years I was around I have to say the kind of inappropriate laddish behaviour came from the other side" rather than from Labour.

Stuart believes "where there are power relationships involved and employment then our staff is simply not protected enough" and "they do need protection because they’re in very vulnerable positions" and this should be given by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

But she added "I don’t have a problem with the MPs doing the interviewing and deciding" who their staff should be.

She thinks while it was good more women MPs came into Parliament "where we failed is making sure that it wasn’t just MP to MP relationships [that were safeguarded] but the people who work for us."